Join Bellingham Parks & Recreation for a presentation with guest speaker Susan Conrad in the Rotunda Room of Old City Hall.

Put any human in a tiny vessel and send them up a perilous 1,200-mile stretch of the Inside Passage of British Columbia and SE Alaska—and they are bound to have stories! Susan Conrad’s stories are not just filled with intrigue and adventure, but they have heart, inspiration, and gratitude. Susan will share stories and images of her 2022 solo, 78-day sea kayak expedition up the Inside Passage from Washington State to Sitka, Alaska, comparing and contrasting it with her 2010 expedition.

Relive the trip with Susan as she shares experiences of paddling marathon distances for days on end, struggling to interact with the sea on its terms, forging friendships with quirky people in remote locations, pretending not to be intimidated by 700-pound grizzly bears or 40-ton whales, and living her dream. Highlights will include her efforts to raise awareness of British Columbia’s proposed Marine Protected Areas in the Great Bear Rainforest, and retracing the paddle strokes of the late, great Audrey Sutherland, the grand dame of expedition paddling.

Free/$5 suggested donation

The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish – Lummi People – and the Nuxwsá7aq – Nooksack People – who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.